Improvement in knitting-machines



- 2S-heets --Sheet1.

D. BICKFD RD.

v Knitting-Machine. N0; 68,216. PatentedSept. 28,1875.

fig 1 IIIIIIIIIIIIIL MEETRSRFNWLITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, n c

2 Sheets- Sheet 2. D. BICKFORD.

' Knitting-Machine. No, 168.210 Pate nted Sept. 28,1875.

mm 7W4 WITNESSES [JV'VEJV'TOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DANA BICKFORD, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN KNITTING-MACHINES.

, Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,216, dated September 28, 1875; application filed December 19, 1874.

GAsn A.

To all .whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, DANA Brcxronn, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented Improvements in Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification:

My present improvements relate to a novel construction and action of the needle-operating devices, and to a special means for lower.

- ing or raising at will the needle-cylinder, to

fcylinder, and C- the rotary cam-cylinder for actuating theneedles, and which is provided with the usual gear teeth 0, whereby it is driven by means of the drivinggear D. E E are two stationary pieces secured to the inner side of the cam-cylinder. This cylinder is not grooved, but has a continuous ledge, c, which has a short downward curve or depression,

f e f, and the pieces E .E are located within axis of the carrier being equidistant from both pieces E E. The carrier and lever can be separated and worked independently, when required, but yet automatically. I

In order the better to give the lever and the carrier asufficient steady positionwhen shifted,

' I connect the lower end or arm of the carrier G, by means of a pin and slot or equivalent connection, to a lever, H, turning on a center, 1, affixed to the cam-cylinder; and this lever bears upon a bow-spring, K, resting on the im L of this cylinder, so that as the lever is moved to the right or left by the shifting of the yarn-carrier in the reverse direction the spring is slidden on the rim, and keeps the parts in' place in whichever direction they may have been shifted. Other equivalent means may be used to steady the carrier, if desirable.

A pin, m, projecting from lever His the direct means of shifting the carrier G and the swing-lever F, this pin, when the machine is to be reversed, coming into contact with any fixed part, or such removable pins as may be placed by the operator in any of the holes m,

to elfect such shifting. By this means the carrier is shifted in the proper direction, which is the opposite of that which would be given it if not jointed to another piece.

It will now be seen that not only is this novel construction of changing-cam or shiftin g mechanism completely automatic, but that it is the perfection of simplicity; that it also of necessity moves the yarncarrier in such manner that at every reversal of the direction of revolution of the cam-cylinder it is always brought to proper position for delivering the yarn to the needles. 7

By the same arrangement of the threadcarrier in connection with a switch or swing lever, F, it is manifest that many modificationsmay be made as to the form of the pieces E E, and of the lever F, without departing from the spirit and essence of the invention.

The switch or swing piece or cam'being, as shown and described, automatically operated, the needles, it will be seen,-in some cases take care of themselves in making the changes backward and forward, and do not require to be drawn up by hand in order to be put out of action.

in making a flat web, and, of course, to make a wider flat web than on machines of the same size, as heretofore constructed, withregard to their cams, and also to knit the heel or toe of a stocking or similar article without taking out or drawing up any of the needles.

In Fig. 3 the single switch-lever F is as sisted by a lever, F, both being centered at This enables the operator to use 7 all the needles as well as any lesser-number stitches.

the same point. In Fig. 4c the swing-piece F is made longer, and pivoted to a piece, F. In Fig. 6 the pieces E E are dispensed with.

It is evident that the swing-lever, by means of its pin projecting through the cylinder, may be operated by coming in contact with any stationary part of the machine, without being directly connected with the yarn-carrier.

The other part of my invention relates to the means of lowering or raising the needlecylinder at will, to lengthen or shorten the These devices are shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the bed being shown as cut away to display the devices.

A lever or yoke, 0, extending about halfway around the needle-cylinder, is fulcrumed or journaled at points upon two similar hangers depending from the bed frame, one of which is shown at P, and has a central arm or projection, Q, and slots 1', into which project pins 8 from the frame. The arm Q enters a stationary box, T, also depending from the frame or bed, andathumb-screw, U, serves to raise and to lower, and to hold the needlecylinder in place, and a pointerm, and dial '0, serve to indicate the degree to which the arm Q and its lever has been raised or lowered it being evident that, as the yoke is hung to act as a lever, of which the hanger P is the fulcrum, its. rear end will lift the needle-cylinder, as its front end is lowered by the thumb-screw P, and vice-versa. This device shows the most simple means for operating the,cylinder,

- but it is evident that it can be operated by other forms of levers, or by an eccentric,'or many other means well known to the mechan ics, and accomplish precisely what Ihave done by this arrangement.

I claim- 1, In combination with a knitting-machine cam-cylinder or cam-plate, provided with devices for raising and depressing the needles,

a swing-lever adapted to operate as described, whereby it serves to deflect the needles downward in whichever direction the machine may be revolved.

, 2. In combination with the cam-cylinder of a knittin g-n1achine, the automatic swing-lever F, swing yarn-carrier G, and connecting mechanism, as described, whereby both the lever and carrier shall be shifted in unison, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a rotary reversible knitting-machine, the combinatiomwith the bed and with the cam cylinder, of a pivoted yarn-carrier, mounted on the cam-cylinder, located, with reference to the cams, or cams and switch, substantially as described, and connecting mechanism, whereby said yarn-carrier is automatically operated as the machine is reversed, substantiall y as set forth.

4. The combination, with the stationary needle-cylinder and with a revolving camcylinder, of the pivoted thread -carrier and lever H, both mounted on the cylinder and pin m, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with the cam-cylinder, of a pivotedyarn-carrier, Gr, 'pivoted arm H, provided with projection m, and frictional piece or spring K, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the needle-cylinder and with the bed of the machine, of an adjusting yoke-lever hung from and fulcrumed on the bed and pivoted to'the needle-cylinder, and an adjusting device, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. The combination, with the needle-cylinder, provided with journals and with the bed of the machine, of an adjustable lever, whereby the cylinder may be at will raised and lowered, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the yoke O, hangers P, arm Q, box T, and adjusting-screw U, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

DANA BIOKFORD.

Witnesses I A. M. LAWSON, F. HAWES. 

